RISE: Sessions' reason for recusal; May's bad gamble; Pens win

Friday

Jun 9, 2017 at 7:00 AM

Ousted FBI Director James Comey provided a lot of answers during his public testimony before a Senate committee Thursday, but he left one substantial question unanswered: How did the FBI know Attorney General Jeff Sessions was going to step aside from the investigation into the Trump campaign's Russia ties?

wire reports

Justice Dept.: Sessions recused from probe due to campaign

WASHINGTON — Ousted FBI Director James Comey provided a lot of answers during his public testimony before a Senate committee Thursday, but he left one substantial question unanswered: How did the FBI know Attorney General Jeff Sessions was going to step aside from the investigation into the Trump campaign's Russia ties?

The Justice Department responded late Thursday, saying that after consultations with department ethics officials Sessions recused himself because of his involvement in Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, "for that reason, and that reason alone."

The department's statement did not directly respond to Comey's comment that he was "aware of facts" that would make Sessions' continued involvement in the Russia probe problematic. Nor did it explain why Comey said he could not discuss those reasons in public.

May's UK election gamble backfires as Tories lose majority

LONDON — British Prime Minister Theresa May's gamble in calling an early election backfired spectacularly, as her Conservative Party lost its majority in Parliament and pressure mounted on her Friday to resign.

The shock result throws British politics into chaos and could send Britain's negotiations to leave the European Union — due to start June 19 — into disarray. The pound lost more than 2 cents against the dollar.

With 636 of 650 seats in the House of Commons declared, the Conservatives had 310 to the Labour Party's 258. Even if the Conservatives won all the remaining seats, the party would fall short of the 326 needed for an outright majority. Before the election the Conservatives had 330 seats and Labour 229.

Japan enacts law for Emperor Akihito, 83, to abdicate

TOKYO — Japan's parliament on Friday passed a law allowing Emperor Akihito to become the first monarch to abdicate in 200 years, but put off a debate over how to tackle the shrinking royal population including male successors.

The 83-year-old emperor expressed his apparent wish to abdicate last August, citing his old age and health.

Under the law enacted Friday, an abdication, which will be Japan's first in 200 years, must take place within three years.

The current succession rules allow only men from the paternal bloodline and prohibit women from ascending the 2,000-year-old Chrysanthemum Throne. Only women are forced to renounce their royal status when they marry a commoner.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ultra-conservative government supports the current male-only succession, which will make the 57-year-old Crown Prince Naruhito next in line to ascend the throne.

North Korea says it tested new anti-ship missile

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said Friday it has tested a new type of cruise missile that could strike U.S. and South Korean warships "at will" if it is attacked, in an apparent reference to the projectiles detected by Seoul when they were launched a day earlier.

The missiles represent the fourth new missile system North Korea said it has introduced and successfully tested this year, sending a defiant message that it will continue to pursue a weapons program that has rattled its neighbors and Washington.

"This new-type cruise rocket is a powerful attack means capable of striking any enemy group of battleships" attempting to attack North Korea and can be used "at will," the North's official Korean Central News Agency said.

It said leader Kim Jong Un observed the launches and that the missiles "accurately detected and hit" floating targets at sea after making "circular flights."

The North's claims cannot be independently confirmed.

Predators on brink as Rinne struggles again in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH — Pekka Rinne's struggles in Pittsburgh have his Nashville Predators on the brink of elimination.

The Predators are hardly blaming Rinne for their predicament.

The Penguins overwhelmed Rinne again, sending Nashville's star goaltender to the bench in Pittsburgh for a second straight game in the Stanley Cup Final. He was pulled after the first period by coach Peter Laviolette after surrendering half the goals in a 6-0 rout by the Penguins in Game 5 on Thursday night.

"We've got to be better in front of him," Laviolette said. "I don't think that they were necessarily bad goals. Our guys have a tremendous amount of confidence in him. We just have to do a better job in front of him."